INS delegation calls on PM

, Shobana Bhartia from The Hindustan Times, Sunil Dang from Day After and P K Lahiri secretary general of the INS.

According to a press release, among the issues discussed was inadequate relief in the rates for DAVP advertisements.

It said many newspapers were facing a financial crunch due to large outstanding arrears of payments for advertisements released by the DAVP. The levy of 5 per cent custom duty on the import of glazed newsprint proposed in the Union Budget 1999-2000 has also adversely affected the newspaper industry.

The move to bringabout changes in the Press Council Act, 1978 giving sweeping powers to the Press Council of India, is also of concern to the newspaper industry, the press note said. The industry has also been bringing notice to the undue pressure being exerted on the wage boards for working journalists and non-journalists to finalise their recommendations.